NIOB to FG, implement building code to address building collapse

By Esther Eugene

The Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) has urged the federal government to sign the National Building Code (NBC) into law to address the incidences of building collapse in the country.

The immediate past Chairman of NIOB, Delta State chapter, Mr Kingsley Oghoro made the call on Tuesday in Warri.

Oghoro also said that government should ensure quick enforcement of the law to eliminate quackery which had almost taken over the building profession.

He said that the implementation of the building code would entrenched professionalism into the industry and by implications address cases of building collapse.

“Each time I hear that a life is lost due to building collapse, I wept because these are avoidable issues,” he said.

The former NIOB chairman sympathised with the family of those that lost their loved ones in the unfortunate recent 21-storey building collapse in Ikoyi, Lagos.

“The spate of building collapse in the country is not unconnected to the fact that government has not enforced certain laws relating to the building industry.

“The building profession has become an all comers affairs. The NBC that was passed by the National Assembly many years ago has not been signed into law for enforcement.

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“Until NBC is signed into law and enforcement agency constituted in every local government area, the issue of building collapse will continue to persist,” he said.

The builder said that the NBC specified minimum standard for the execution of a building project, minimum standard to which design should be done.

He also said that the code specified the inputs of architects, quantity surveyors, structural engineers, town planners and others “so that we know who should do what and who should not do what”.

Oghoro also blamed the issue of building collapse on the altitude of the people who want to own a house without having the enough money to execute it.

“The procurement method of building in the country is in shamble. Client can just get an unapproved building plan from an AutoCad or elsewhere and move straight to the building site to commence work.

“They engage the services of quacks who does a shoddy job for them because they wanted to save cost,” he said.

Oghoro advised people to engage the services of professional builders, follow due process and avoid cutting corners noting that the aftermath of cutting corner was “terrible”